Hawaii Fish Stock Surveys from 41 Sites (1952-2000)

Hawaii's Division of Aquatic Resources conducted underwater visual surveys of fish stocks at 41 sites on Oahu and Hawaii. The dataset contains records from 1952 at Kealakekua Bay and from 1968 at other sites, ending in 2000. Biologists and technicians gathered this data to monitor reef fish populations over decades.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term population trends for reef fish species across multiple Hawaiian sites.
• Comparing fish community composition between the islands of Oahu and Hawaii over a 30+ year period.
• Investigating potential shifts in fish stocks from the earliest recorded survey in 1952 through the end of the 20th century.
• Using site names (e.g., 'Monument site at Kealakekua Bay') for regional ecological comparisons.

Strengths

• Covers a multi-decade time series from 1952 to 2000, providing a long-term ecological view.
• Includes data from 41 distinct survey sites across two major Hawaiian islands.
• Collected by state agency biologists and technicians, indicating professional field methods.

Limitations

• Transect dimensions, depth ranges, and survey method (SCUBA vs. snorkel) were not consistently recorded.
• Locations are described by place names without precise latitude/longitude coordinates or depth data.
• Conflicting metadata exists: one platform lists a last update date of 2026, while another indicates the data ended in 2000.

Provenance

Source

Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources (DAR), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce

Collection Method

Underwater visual surveys conducted by biologists and technicians.

Time Range

1952-09-11 to 2000-12-28

Freshness

2000-12-28 00:00:00

Geography

41 survey sites on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii, USA.